San Diego’s Korean market scene is growing. Witness the new H Mart in Mira Mesa and Zion’s relocation to a much larger space (the old K-Mart) on Clairemont Mesa Blvd. I’ve spent some time at H Mart recently and what intrigued me the most on my visits were the prepared foods, literally soup to nuts. There’s a large refrigerated section of kimchee, a section with sushi, and lots of pickled vegetables and seasoned fish. Trying to tease out what to focus on was a challenge so these few items are only scratching the surface of what you’ll find. My best advice? Be bold and don’t be afraid to ask fellow shoppers questions.
small crab, fried chicken, acorn pudding
Seasoned Small Crab
These little critters—no more than an inch or so in size—dressed in a sticky red chili sauce—had been calling out to me from my first visit. Fortunately, H Mart not only sells large, family-size containers of them, but also smaller ones for, well, hearty tasting. I love the crunch and burst of spice, soy sauce, sesame seed, and garlic mixed with the fishy, fermented flavors of the little crabs. Eat them as a side dish, perhaps on a mount of steamed rice, with pickled vegetables, a little potato salad, seaweed, and other banchan, around a main course. $8.99 a pound
Fried Chicken with Special Sauce
Last June I went on a Koreatown food frenzy with L.A. chef Debbie Lee. She introduced me to a host of dishes, including Korean fried chicken, something she makes at her little Glendale snack bar, Ahn Joo. We enjoyed two types, one was a very light, crispy chicken, seasoned with spices, at The Prince, which is known for this dish. The other, at Dansungsa, was finished off with a tangy, honeyed chili sauce, clearly designed for finger licking. This is the style of fried chicken you’ll find at H Mart. I found a package of drumettes that so reminded me of that wonderful dish that I took them straight home to reheat in a 350 oven for about 20 minutes. Okay, they’re not quite as good as that memorable meal, but I still enjoyed every last, sticky bite—and licked my fingers, too. $5.99 a pound
Acorn Pudding
I’ll be honest; I’m not sure if acorn pudding, or what is usually called acorn jelly (dotorimuk in Korean), is something I’d recommend to non-Koreans. I’m still trying to figure out the attraction. There are many cultures that have come to use acorns for food. They grind beautifully into a flour, can be pressed for oil, or roasted for coffee, as a New York Times article points out. And, yet, they take some work to prepare since they contain tannins that can be toxic in large quantities and that must be leached out before consumption. Modern life has made that aspect of enjoying acorns pretty easy; simply buy a package of prepared acorn jelly powder (dotori mukgaru), add water and salt, and let it sit. Or, even easier—buy a package of acorn pudding, already made. I asked a young women who tossed one in her cart how she eats it and she laughed, telling me that Korean girls consider it diet food. Slice it up and douse with some soy sauce and sesame oil and you have a very low calorie lunch. She and her husband enjoy it as a side dish with their dinner. I followed her directions and, well, it was fine, but I had a hard time discerning any particular flavor, other than the soy sauce and sesame oil. Perhaps making it from scratch gives you a nutty flavor like chestnuts. But, you could look at it as a blank palette, like mild tofu, and dress it up with a good chili sauce and sliced scallions, top it with kimchi, or cut it into bite-sized chunks and create a salad with it. $3.99 a package
